


Polarity

by machka



Series: Schmoop Bingo - Love Story (Brookemann) [1]
Category: Real Person Fiction, Tulsa Gangstas
Genre: Community: schmoop_bingo, F/M, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-29
Updated: 2010-06-29
Packaged: 2017-10-20 03:34:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/208319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/machka/pseuds/machka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'Beauty attracts us men; but if, like an armed magnet it is pointed, beside, with gold and silver, it attracts with tenfold power.' - Jean Paul</p><p>Like the poles of magnets, opposites attract.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Polarity

**Author's Note:**

> Co-authored by [cebhfhionnmabon](http://cebhfhionnmabon.livejournal.com/profile). Adapted from RP logs for the [schmoop_bingo](http://schmoop-bingo.livejournal.com/profile/) challenge, for the prompt "First Date."
> 
> Disclaimer: The following is a work of fiction. The events described therein are not intended to represent actual events. No libel or defamation is intended in posting said fictitious work.
> 
> In other words, it's not real, because we made it all up.

Looking at Brooke's outfit, Neal was suddenly glad he'd gone for the dressed-up look of his own - well, as dressed-up as he ever seemed to get anymore... He gave Einstein's ears another quick rub and stood up, nodding to Brooke slightly. "Hey," he said quietly. "You look...really nice. Love the..." He gestured at her clothes, from top to toes, and shrugged slightly. "...Love it all." He could feel his cheeks flushing a bright red already, oh God... "...Sorry. I, um...kind of suck at th'whole complimentin' thing..."

Brooke smiled and pulled Neal in for a hug. "Well, I'm glad you like it. Carly was a bit...enthusiastic with picking it all out. I was forbidden from wearing anything that I had before...birthday tradition and all." she grinned and stepped back looking at his clothes. "Well. I'd say we both clean up pretty well! "

"Carly's got good taste, gotta admit..." Neal replied, stepping back, and flushed a deeper shade of red at her compliment. "...Promised I'd dress up for you," he said with a slightly stiff shrug.

Brooke smiled and grabbed her purse off of the coffee table before she turned and pulled Carly into a hug. "Okay, I'm ready for these famous wings."

Neal grinned and bowed a bit ironically. "Follow me, m'lady..." He headed out the door and led her to his car, his hand delicately palming her lower back. He opened the passenger side door for her, chewing lightly on his lower lip as she got in, and closed the door carefully before shuffling around the front of the car to the driver's side with his head down.

Brooke smiled brightly when Neal slipped into the driver's seat. "Thank you for this. It's been a long time since I've gotten to go out anywhere for my birthday properly."

Neal shot her a wry smile. "Dunno how 'proper' this place is...it's wings, after all..." He cleared his throat quickly. "...If that's still okay with you, Brooke -- we can go someplace with more choices, or whatever--I mean, y'got all dolled up an'everything, and it's your birthday an' all, an' it should be somethin' special an' fancy an' all..." God, there went that fucking blush again. God damn his Irish ancestry...

Brooke shook her head resolutely. "Nope. You promised me wings, and that is what I want." She mock glared at him. "You aren't going back on your birthday promise, are you?" she teased.

Neal held his hands up in mock defense. "No, Brooke, never!" he protested. "If wings are what y'want, wings are what you'll get, I swear!"

Brooke scrunched up her face slightly and glared, pinching Neal's arms slightly. "That's what I thought!" And then a grin lit up her face, and she laughed.

Neal yelped softly at the pinch, rubbing his arm with an exaggerated pout. "Ow, Brooke," he whined playfully. "What's with all the girls wantin' t'beat me up lately?" He ducked his head suddenly, trying to suppress the grin that threatened to split his face in two, and shook it off quickly, playing it off as a grimace with an elaborate hissing breath as he rubbed his arm a bit harder. "That really _hurt,_ " he pouted. "Maybe I shouldn't give you your present now."

Brooke laughed and then smiled softly. "If there are other girls that are beating you up, just point me in their direction - I'll set them straight!" she said firmly. "Did you really get me a gift too? Taking me to dinner was more than enough, you know."

Neal snorted softly. "I'm a big boy, Brooke, I can take it..." He could feel the flush creeping up his neck yet again, and wondered how long it would take for his cheeks to burst into flame at this rate. "Yeah, I got you somethin'..." he admitted, almost guiltily. "Didn't feel right not to..." he reached behind her seat and retrieved a long, white box tied with a yellow ribbon, passing it to her with a sheepish look. "Um. Happy birthday."

Brooke took the box and slowly slipped the ribbon off, lifting the lid. "Oh Neal...these are beautiful!" she whispered, letting her fingertips gently brush the silky petals of the three roses nestled in baby's breath inside. "Thank you," she said softly, and then leaned over and kissed Neal on the cheek. "They're perfect...and my favorite color."

Seriously, bursting into flames, any second now... "Y'r welcome," Neal murmured softly, nibbling the inside of his lower lip. "Might've heard somewhere y'liked yellow...um..." He jammed the key into the ignition, cranking the engine quickly as embarrassment rendered him nearly completely mute. He could flirt with the best of 'em, by God, but when it came down to actual interaction with people he liked? Not exactly Mr. Rico Suave... 

He backed out of the drive and pointed his car toward the highway. "So, this place is in Silver Lake...asked for recommendations on Twitter..." If his hands hadn't been locked on ten-and-two at that very moment, he'd have likely double-facepalmed then and there. Nope, nothing suave here at all...God.

Brooke put the lid back on the roses and re-tied the ribbon before turning around, putting it on the back seat. "Oh really? I love Twitter -- even when there are a couple of immature people that make it uncomfortable for some of my fans that ask me questions."

"Yeah, I get that a lot too," Neal croaked slightly, clearing his throat quietly. "Even without the crazy psycho stalkin' my ass anymore, there's still plenty of crazy t'go around..." He let his voice trail off, dropping the subject. Not really good date conversation, that...

He swallowed hard. Date. Yeah. Um...date. Couldn't quite wrap his mind around that. Best not to think about it.

"So! Y'give any thoughts to what kind of wings y'want, or..."

Oh, good God, Tiemann...surely his cheeks were incandescent at this point. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel, staring resolutely at the road ahead of them.

Brooke bit her bottom lip, thinking about what she wanted. "I think I'll start off kind of mild, and work my way up to as spicy as I can eat." She turned to Neal. "Or do you have any recommendations of what I should get?"

Neal nodded quickly. "That sounds like a good plan. They usually have teriyaki, and honey barbecue, and garlic... I always go straight for the hottest sh--stuff they have, cuz that makes the beer taste better..." He shot a quick sidewise glance at her, shrugging apologetically. "Usually only one or two. Um." He looked back at the road, sighing gustily. "If y'couldn't tell, I kind of suck at small talk. Sorry."

Brooke laughed loudly. "Then forget the small talk. Oh, did Carly tell you that I actually got time in the studio today? It was great."

Oh, thank God - something he could relate to. "No, she didn't. How'd that go?"

Brooke leaned back with a grin. "It was really good! I missed getting into the studio like that. The song isn't done yet - there are still a couple of things that I want to work on, lyric-wise; but other than that, it's going great."

Neal smiled warmly, nodding. "Just remember, if there's anythin' I can do t'help...lyrics, trackin' guitars, arrangin'...pretty much whatever..."

Brooke grinned. "Yeah, I know. I might take you up on that. I've got about three different sets of lyrics, each one a bit different...and I can't decide which of them sounds better."

"At your service," he replied softly, without a trace of irony, concentrating on navigating the LA traffic. "If y'want some tunes, th'radio's yours, birthday girl," he offered with a slight smile. "Might haf'ta turn it down a little, though..."

Brooke laughed and turned the volume down before she started to surf through the stations, finally stopping on a classic rock station. She grinned and started to sing along with the song that had just started.

Neal smiled a little deeper, tapping along to the beat on the steering wheel with the fingers of one hand.

...She had a pretty voice. Huh.

...Nice.

Brooke brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear and leaned forward when they pulled into the parking lot of the wings place. "Oh wow, this place looks great!" She was excited. She loved going to new places and eating. "Joey is going to be so jealous that you got me to eat wings before he did," she teased.

Neal snorted softly, releasing his seat belt. "Not like he hasn't had his chance..." he teased back, and slipped out the driver's side door, scurrying quickly to her side of the car. He opened the door, holding out his hand to help her out of the car, the tips of his ears reddening slightly again.

Brooke smiled softly at Neal and held her hand out to his as she got out of the car. She squeezed his hand gently before he pulled it back.

"I hope you're ready to watch me demolish a bunch of wings. I may look small, but I am not a picky eater," she grinned.

Neal smiled back - a genuine, soft smile - and squeezed her hand in return. "I'm counting on it," he laughed, taking her arm as he closed her door and hit the auto-lock.

...She smelled nice, too. Huh.

"Shall we?"

He led her to the door, holding it open as she passed. He inhaled deeply, making an appreciative noise as the scents of her perfume and the food mingled. Yep - couldn't really get any better than the scent of a woman and hot wings. Grinning to himself, he followed her inside, smiling at the hostess as she greeted them.

Brooke looked around at the tables and booths and grinned. This was the kind of place that she loved to find: a small, intimate restaurant, with great food and great people. She turned to Neal when the hostess asked them if they wanted a booth or table. "Your call, 'cause either-or is fine with me." She smiled and nudged him. The smells of the wings were making her mouth water, and she couldn't wait to start trying the different kinds.

"Booth." The word was out of his mouth before he could think, and he grinned at her with a shrug. "Special night, an'all..."

They followed the hostess to their booth in a slightly darkened area of the restaurant. Neal took his menu from her with a slight smile, but laid it on the table in front of him, already knowing what he wanted to order. He watched Brooke study the menu, finding the slight frown of concentration on her face incredibly appealing, for some reason... He gave himself a shake, clearing his throat softly. "See anything good?"

Brooke looked up from the menu, biting her bottom lip. "I think I want to get the sampler platter that has the six different kinds, and if there are any there I really like, I'll get more," she grinned. "What are you getting?"

Neal nodded, smiling back. "Good choice." His smile deepened into a wide grin. "An' I always get th'suicide wings."

"I might have to try one of those..." She nodded to herself and grinned, looking at Neal. "So, what was I hearing in the living room about Einstein liking you better?" she teased.

Neal looked down at the table top, chuckling under his breath. "He was in th'kitchen, playin' with th' rug in there - tellin' ya, girl, Bitter Apple - anyway, I whistled, and he came a-runnin'." He snickered softly. "Guess Carly'd been tryin' t'get him out of the kitchen for about 15 minutes before I got there, an'he came right to me." He shook his head, tapping the table top in time with the piped-in music.

Brooke laughed softly and shook her head. "That is funny. He comes when you whistle, and when you pat the floor." She grinned. "She isn't going to want to give him up when I get back, is she?"

He chuckled again, low in his throat. "She said she and him were gonna be best friends by th'end of th'night. Strangely, I don't really feel threatened. Heh."

Brooke took a sip of her water and smiled, shaking her head. "Nah. He'll always remember you, because you were there at the shelter." She played with her napkin. "I called back to the shelter...because I wanted to know if they still had his sisters and brothers there. Because, you know, he could get lonely not having anyone to play with," she rambled, blushing. "But they had all been adopted out."

Neal reached out with a small smile, brushing his knuckles lightly across the back of her hand in sympathy. "I know." he could feel his cheeks coloring slightly again. So what if he had called, too? He just wanted to be sure they'd all found good homes... He flattened out his hand, covering hers, and squeezed her fingers lightly.

Brooke looked up at Neal and smiled softly with a sigh. "I don't know how they can work at that shelter, and not want to take every single one of those dogs home," she said softly. She squeezed his hand back softly in thanks. "I can't wait for Einstein to meet Sixx...he isn't going to know what to think of a dog so much bigger than him," she grinned.

Neal snorted out a soft laugh, a smile tugging lightly at the corners of his mouth. "Yeah, that's...that'll be somethin' t'see." He glanced up at the waiter approaching, and put in his order for a large plate of suicide wings and a beer.

Brooke ordered her variety wings and a lemonade from the waiter and grinned at Neal. "So, what do you think my odds are of snagging one of your suicide wings and surviving the spiciness?"

Neal rubbed his jaw, eyeing Brooke thoughtfully. "Hmmmm...I dunno, Brooke...I'll let you try as many as you want, but they're hot..." He winked with a smile.

Brooke looked at Neal and laughed. "I think that I'll be able to handle the hotness...maybe." She leaned her head on her propped-up hand.

Neal grinned at her laughter. "They're not _that_ bad," he chuckled softly, "But keep in mind I'm a Texan, an'all...we're used t'hot stuff." He nodded his thanks to the waiter as he set their drinks on the table, and pulled his beer closer.

Brooke smiled. "Were you born in Texas?"

"Yes, ma'am," he replied with a grin. "Born in the 'Big D' - didn't stay there all that long, though. Spent most of m'time in Tulsa, growin' up."

Brooke nodded. "That's really cool. Phoenix-born, and raised in Mesa Arizona... "

"Pretty country," Neal murmured, nodding. "M'mom and step-sister live in New Mexico right now...drove through a good part of Arizona t'visit them this spring..." His gaze dropped to his fingers, drumming restlessly on the table again.

Brooke nodded. "Most of my family is all across the board. I don't get to see them very often. But I did get to talk to them earlier, and they wished me a happy pre-birthday." She smiled softly.

"That's awesome," Neal said softly, glancing up at her. "Family's real important."

Brooke nodded and looked down. "Some times they are...until they get so nosy in your business that you cringe when they call," she grinned.

He smiled faintly. "Really haven't had t'worry about that."

Brooke reached across the table and held Neal's hand. "I have two sisters and a brother you can borrow, any time that you think you are missing out on that."

The corners of Neal's mouth curved upward slightly. "What a generous offer," he murmured dryly, squeezing her hand gently as his smile deepened. "I'd say I'd take you up on that, if I didn't already feel like I was surrounded by family here already." He relaxed his grip on her hand, but held onto it, not letting go quite yet.

Brooke smiled. "Yeah, I wouldn't take me up on it. They'd make you wish you'd never picked up the phone. They're a bit more..." She bit her lip, trying to think of a nice word. "Hyper...than I am."

"Ooooooh, ouch!" Neal winced, grinning back at her. "Not good with hyper, no...not unless they're a lot younger than me."

Brooke nodded. "Yeah...I love them to death, but I was so glad when I moved out."

Neal nodded in understanding. "Hey, so...have you made a decision about a roommate yet? Y'gonna look for one, or just hang onto that spare room for times when Joey or Dan have girls over, an'kick me out?" he winked playfully.

Brooke bit her lip. "I haven't made a decision per se...but I did offer my guest room up to someone. I haven't heard whether they are going to take it or not though."

She squeezed his hand again. "But you are always welcome to come over and either snag the spare bed or the couch... And it doesn't have to be just to get away from your roomie's guests. You still haven't taken me up on the movie night," she teased.

"Ah, movie night!" He laughed aloud, twining their fingers together unconsciously. "Dam--dang it, I forgot about that! What kind of movie did y'have in mind?"

Brooke grinned and leaned forward. "I'll let you in on a little secret - I can't stand chick flicks, so comedy and action adventure movies are all I've got, unless there's something out there worth renting. You have any good suggestions?"

Neal threw his head back and laughed with relief. "Oh, thank God. I was so afraid you'd want t'watch 'Th'Notebook' or same crap like that!" He lowered his head, shaking it slightly. "I like action films, but I _love_ horror films. Think we could manage t'find somethin' we could agree on..."

Brooke smiled brightly. She loved hearing Neal laugh like that. "I like the cheesy horror movies...or the ones where I can predict what is going to happen next."

"Right! So, old-school 'Sleepaway Camp'. Got it." Neal grinned widely. "Can't really get more predicable than _that_ schlock."

Brooke laughed softly and shook her head. "Nope, not really. The last horror movie I saw...was back in January." She frowned slightly, remembering that was the last time she and her ex-husband Dave had gone to the movies together, and he had taken off shortly after that.

Neal knew what that look on her face meant... He squeezed her hand tightly, drawing her attention back to the present. "So, we need a really, _really_ bad horror movie...something so bad, so preposterous, that we're just gonna sit there and laugh our fu--frickin' as--dammit, butts -- shit! God, sorry -- laugh our butts off at it, right?" The blush was back, brighter than ever. Damn, it was fuckin' hard to remember not t'swear!

Brooke let out a soft breath and smiled gratefully. "Yeah, that sounds like a great idea. Just name the time - you bring the movies, and I'll have the snacks." She cocked her eyebrow at Neal. "You know that you don't have to censor yourself for me. I'm a big girl - I can handle it."

Neal smiled back sheepishly. "I know, I know..." he murmured softly. "Just...everyone tries so hard t'be respectful, so I keep thinkin' I ought t'be makin' th'effort, at least..."

Brooke smiled softly. "Thank you for that...but I want you to be you. That's the most important thing for me."

Neal looked down at the table, nodding slightly. "'Kay...I can do that." He glanced up with a smile. "Might even get you swearin' like a sailor by th'time I'm done."

Brooke smiled. "Oh, I don't know about that... I think that if between Carly, Dave and Michael never managed that, I'm pretty sure I'll be okay."

"Fuckin' a," Neal grinned back. He glanced up at their waiter approaching, and ran his thumb lightly along hers. "Food's here," he said softly. "Ready for th'moment of truth?"

Brooke pulled her hands back and laid her napkin in her lap as the plates were put in front of them. "Yep, I sure am..." She looked at Neal's plate and grinned. "I promise I will try one of those before we get done here."

Neal laughed softly, pointing and jabbing at her with one of his wings. "I'm gonna hold you to that, Brooke, swear t'God...here..." He teased out one of the largest, juiciest wings from his stack, and set it on the edge of her plate with a grin. "There you go."

Brooke grinned and swiped her finger across the wing, and sucked her fingertip into her mouth. "Ohh...dang, that is hot!!" She looked at it dubiously. "I'll eat mine first, and save that one for last."

Neal grinned toothily, already red in the face from quickly devouring his first wing. "Uh huh, told you."

Brooke laughed and picked up her first wing. Before she knew it, she was through every one on her plate. The last couple had been pretty hot, but nothing compared to the one that sat at the edge of the plate. She grinned. "Okay, are you ready to watch me make a fool out of myself?"

Neal looked up from the dwindling stack of wings and growing pile of bones on his plate, giving her a lopsided grin. "Oh, hell yes I am, Brooke..." he wiped his fingers quickly on his napkin and took a quick swallow of beer, watching with interest.

Brooke laughed and took a deep breath before she picked up the wing and took a big bite. Her eyes started to water as the heat kicked in, but she refused to stop. She swallowed and continued to eat the rest of the wing before she dropped it to her plate, wiped her fingers off, and took a long drink of her lemonade. Careful not to get her fingers near her eyes, Brooke wiped the tears from them. "Oh, wow... "

Neal chuckled low in his throat, nodding his agreement. "Yep! 'Wow' is right, huh." He gestured to the waiter with a slight smile for another round of drinks for them both, and returned his attention to Brooke. "To be honest, after the second or third, your mouth kind of starts t'go numb. Defensive mechanism, I guess."

Brooke took another drink of her fresh lemonade and grinned. "Yeah, I was getting to that point when I was done with the second bite."

Neal grinned widely and picked up another wing, holding it out. "Want it?" he asked with a playfully-raised eyebrow.

Brooke laughed and shook her head. "No...but I definitely want more of these ones," she said, picking up the third kind of wing she had tried.

Neal shrugged, pulling the wing back. "Your loss!" he laughed lowly, and took a huge bite, chewing with that same manic grin.

Brooke laughed, and when the waiter came back over, she showed him the ones that she wanted and sat back with a grin, watching Neal. "Next time, I'll have two. How's that?"

Neal's grin widened to nearly split his face. Next time, huh? The thought that there might be a 'next time' shouldn't make him this irrationally gleeful...

"It's a deal," he agreed, nodding quickly.

Brooke grinned and ran her finger over the wing in Neal's hand and licked it off, her eyes watering again. "Nope, still way hot."

Neal threw his head back again, laughing loudly. "Uh, yeah...not really gonna change, sorry..."

Brooke pouted teasingly. "It was worth a try." She leaned back as more of the wings that she wanted were set down in front of her. "Mmm, now this is what I'm talking about..." she grinned.

"No pain, no gain, Brooke," Neal grinned back.

Brooke glared at Neal, trying not to smile as she took a bite of her wing. "Mmm...so good," she said, moaning softly, loving the subtle heat and sweetness.

Neal bit the inside of his lip hard, trying very hard to keep his mind from going to a very bad place. Women just shouldn't _moan_ like that, God...there should be a law, or somethin'...

Brooke finished her plate of wings and sucked the tip of her thumb into her mouth getting the sticky sweetness off. "That was amazing..." she grinned. She noticed that Neal was eating a lot more slowly. "You getting full?"

Neal tore his eyes away from her thumb in her mouth, his face flushed a bright scarlet that he hoped he could still blame on the wings, holy fuck...

"Uh, y-yeah, li'l bit..." he stammered, shifting very slightly in his seat and licking his lips. "...We should...bill...yeah."

Brooke raised her eyebrow at Neal. "You okay?" She bit her lip, trying really hard not to grin. She knew exactly what the problem was as soon as he'd started talking about the bill. Her eyes were shining brightly as she bit her bottom lip harder.

"...Yeah...'m fine..." he replied, pulling in a deep breath and holding it a moment, trying to think of things that weren't nearly as pornographic as the thoughts in his head just then. "Think...think th'heat's startin' t'bake m'brain, or somethin', I dunno..."

Brooke smiled and nodded. "Okay, check time..and then I guess you are taking me home?" She was having a great time, and she really wasn't ready to go home yet...

"Uh..." Neal tilted his head, frowning slightly. Truth be told, he really didn't want to leave just yet...he was really enjoying himself. "Was there somethin' else y'wanted t'do? Uh...go to th'beach, or somethin'?"

Brooke looked up and smiled. "Yeah...I'd like that."

 _Why_ was he still blushing? Jesus fucking Christ, already...

"...Cool," he replied a bit hoarsely, and finished off his last wing and the rest of his beer, nodding to their waiter for their check. "...Know this little out-of-the-way beach that's really pretty at night..."

Brooke's eyes lit up. "I love going to the beach at night...there's just something about hearing the waves crashing, and feeling the cool breeze on the warm sand..." She looked down at her napkin. "Thank you for tonight," she said softly.

"You're welcome," he replied, matching her tone. "I, uh...I'm really havin' a good time."

Brooke smiled and stood up when Neal did, after the waiter brought back his card and receipt. She stood next to him, nudging him slightly. "It's been a while since I've had this much fun...and, it's been relaxing at the same time."

Neal ducked his head with a small smile, nudging her lightly back. "Yeah, me too, actually..." he shrugged slightly. "Didn't really know what t'expect t'night."

Brooke grinned and rocked back on her heels. "Me neither...but I'm glad you asked me. Otherwise, I would be home, watching something boring on TV."

"Oh, we simply couldn't have that," Neal replied with a grin. Pocketing his wallet, he slipped his hand into the small of Brooke's back, rubbing gently without thinking. "We should get some ice cream on th'way to th'beach, huh?"

Brooke nodded. "Mmm...I'm thinking that there's a place not too far from here that makes their own waffle cones - they're to die for."

He grinned at her. "Look it up on your iPhone."

Brooke laughed as she slipped into the passenger seat and Neal shut her door. She buckled her seat belt and then started to scroll through her iPhone's browser. She pulled up the address and showed it to Neal. "You think you can find it?" She bit her lip, getting ridiculously giddy about the prospect of ice cream on the beach and walking with Neal. She needed to calm down before she started to act like a fool.

He studied the address a moment. "Kind of know where that is...it's on th'way... Y'know, you can get directions on that thing too..." He winked at her. "Google maps. There's an app for that."

Brooke handed her phone to Neal. "You and I are going to sit down one day and you are going to help me get this thing running every app that is a Godsend."

"...Here." He showed her the app and punched in the address, grinning like a fool at the little blinking blue dot. "Watch that blue dot t'make sure we're still on the right purple track," he said, and passed the phone back, pulling back out onto the road.

Brooke laughed. "Thank you." She watched the dot and kept it held up so that Neal could see it, too. "What kind of ice cream are you going to get?"

"Hmmmm..." Neal pondered elaborately. "...Definitely _not_ vanilla, I can tell you that..." He grinned wickedly, tapping the steering wheel in time with the radio.

Brooke laughed. "I am going to get something crazy. Vanilla and chocolate are a bit too boring and plain for me."

"Crazy, huh..." Neal couldn't stop grinning at the thought. "Can't wait to see this..." He signaled and pulled into a parking space. "Let's go in and see what choices we got."

Brooke couldn't keep the grin off of her face as she got out of the car and walked along side of Neal, their shoulders brushing every once in a while as they went inside and smiled at the girl behind the counter.

"...Brooke? What would you like, birthday girl?" Neal asked, leaning into her a bit with his shoulder.

Brooke smiled softly and bit her lip as she looked over the menu on the wall. "I think that I am going to go with...the Mocha Almond Fudge Ripple," she grinned. "With the waffle cone, for sure."

"You got it," he smiled back, and turned to the cashier. "A Mocha Almond Fudge Ripple in a waffle cone for the lady--" he shot Brooke a quick wink -- "And I'll have a Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl, in a waffle cone as well."

Brooke took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. She had initially been worried that things would be strained between them, or that the conversation would fizzle out and leave them with awkward silences...but nothing of the sort had happened. She was having one of the best nights that she'd had in a long time.

"How far is the place on the beach you want to go to?" she asked softly, as they waited for their cones.

"About..." he paused, squinting thoughtfully at the ceiling. "Hmm, maybe...five minutes out?"

Brooke smiled. "Good...that means that we won't have to rush and eat these. Nothing like walking the beach with ice cream...although I'm ditching the shoes as soon as we get back in the car, 'cause you have to be barefoot in the sand," she teased.

Neal dropped his head, smiling at the floor. "Yup, that's a fact, ma'am," he answered, grinning up at her from under his bangs. He raised his head as their cones arrived, tossing his hair back with a flick of his head, and handed Brooke hers, his fingers lingering just a shade longer than strictly necessary when they brushed against hers.

Brooke could feel the heat in her cheeks as she blushed softly, smiling at Neal unflinchingly. She took a small lick of her ice cream, and her eyes fluttered shut. "Oh, man, this is the best... "

God, seriously? ...Okay, there was another thing he really shouldn't think too much about...too bad the image of her licking the ice cream was burned in his memory. 

He forced himself to breathe again, focusing his attention on his own ice cream. He took a tentative bite, humming softly under his breath in appreciation. "This is pretty fuckin' good too," he said softly, risking another glance at her face, and smiled, resting his free hand between her shoulder blades a moment. "...Shall we hit the road, then?"

Brooke opened her eyes, which were shining with contentment. "Yes...let's get out of here," she said, letting Neal lead the way back out to the car.

He unlocked her door and paused a moment. "Hmm...let me hold your cone while you get situated, and then I think you're gonna have to hold both while I drive."

Brooke nodded and handed her cone over to Neal, their fingers brushing again. This time, she smiled slowly at him, and then slipped down into the seat.

...God damn it if he couldn't feel the heat crawling up the back of his neck again... He snorted softly, shaking his head as his own slow smile appeared. Well now, Ms. White...well now, indeed.

He waited until she had buckled herself in, and took a quick taste of both cones before handing them over with a sly, crooked grin. "Thanks, Brooke, you're a life-saver." He scooted quickly around the car and hopped in, getting them back on the road quickly.

Brooke laughed at Neal tasting her cone and she sat back in her seat, holding each cone as Neal drove. "Here, hurry up and lick this side before it melts," she said, holding the cone up to Neal as the soft ice cream started to melt. She raised her own cone up to her mouth, licking around the bottom, making sure that that none of it dripped onto her fingers. That could make for a sticky mess.

Neal laughed softly to himself, leaning over and trying to lick quickly without taking his eyes off the road. "This ain't as easy as it looks, now..." he chuckled. "Thank th'Gods we're almost there..."

Brooke laughed. "Mmm, no kidding..." Some of Neal's ice cream slipped down over her thumb, and without thinking, she leaned in and licked it off. "Oh wow, yours is amazing..." She turned back to her own ice cream cone. "Yeah it is, 'cause I might just eat yours too."

He was proud of himself for not running up over the curb when that tongue of hers showed back up. Good God, Brooke...and oh, what was that now? A threat? "No, not my ice cream, Brooke! Noooooo!" Neal howled in mock horror, cracking up laughing in spite of himself.

Brooke cackled as she leaned in and licked a broad swipe up the side of Neal's cone, and then did the same to hers. "Mmmm, better hurry...not going to last much longer," she teased.

"Oh, no you did not!" he barked out, still laughing like a loon. "You are _so_ lucky we are here, Brooke," he scolded playfully as he pulled into the deserted lot, "cuz I really didn't want t'have t'throw down with you, now...not on th'eve of your birthday, an' all..."

Brooke laughed and reluctantly handed Neal his ice cream. "Fine, fine...here you go..." She grinned and started to lick around the bottom of her cone to stop the drips. "We going to sit here and eat these, or head down to the sand?" she asked, looking out at the ocean.

Neal stared out the windshield at the water, a small smile playing across his lips. "Oh, I think we should head down," he said softly, a slightly faraway look in his eyes.

Brooke raised her eyebrows at the look in Neal's eyes and smiled. "Here, hold this for me please... These shoes are coming off now. I think Carly would shoot me if I got them all sandy."

"...Hmm? Oh, yeah..." Neal murmured, shaking back to himself, and held out his hand for her cone.

He watched her out of the corner of his eye, eyes gleaming dangerously, waiting for her to bend down to remove her shoes. When she did, he attacked her cone quickly, licking it all over while trying to stifle his laughter.

Brooke glanced up from under the strands of hair that were falling in her face as Neal started licking her ice cream cone. "Ah HA! I knew you'd do that, you ice cream thief!" She laughed hard as she struggled to get the shoes off, muttering under her breath about Carly and buckles and shoes that needed to be dog toys.

Neal fell back in his seat, laughing uproariously as he toed his own shoes off quickly. "I'm so glad men aren't slaves t'fashion," he snickered softly, licking a slow stripe up one side of her cone, across the top and then down.

Brooke finally slipped the shoes off and leaned back in the seat with a satisfied sigh. "Be glad, be very glad..." She watched Neal take another lick of her ice cream and swallowed. She shook her head slightly and held her hand out for her cone. "Shall we hit the beach?"

Neal handed her cone back with another crooked grin, nodding. "Sure thing."

His toes sank into the warm sand as they headed onto the beach. He could still feel the last vestiges of nervousness thrumming through his body as he looked out at the water, but it was more of a fading echo now; almost an afterthought, really... "You have no power over me," he murmured softly under his breath, barely audible if at all over the gentle *whoosh* of the waves hitting the shore. It felt good to finally let go of his fear.

Brooke let out a soft sigh as she finished her cone and then walked down to the waves to let the foaming water rinse her hands. She reached up and pulled her ponytail out, letting her hair fall down in soft waves, the gentle breeze floating across her face. She turned around and made her way back up to Neal, a soft smile on her face as she watched him.

His eyes were completely full of her for the moment. He swallowed thickly, blinking once, and finished his cone off. He stared down at the streaks and dots of chocolate over his fingers, and raised his hand to his mouth without thinking, starting to lick and suck the ice cream off his hand.

Brooke smiled at Neal and softly shook her head. When she got up beside him, she leaned into him for a nudge. "Wanna walk?"

Neal ducked his head and shifted back into her in response. "...Sure," he replied softly, and slipped his hand into hers, threading their fingers together.

Brooke smiled and squeezed Neal's hand softly, leaning against him as they walked. It was an absolutely beautiful night out. "This has been one of the best birthday presents I think I've gotten since I was about ten...that was when I got my first guitar," she grinned.

Neal ducked his head with a shy smile. "Really, huh?" He squeezed her hand back, every sense attuned to her by his side. "I, uh...yeah, birthdays were not really too much of a big deal at my house...especially since mine's so close t'Christmas and whatnot... Always got a lot of combination gifts. God, that used t'piss me off...an' I didn't get my first guitar till I was thirteen..."

He was kind of rambling, but somehow, he didn't really think she minded.

Brooke smiled and laughed softy. "I got my guitar then...but I didn't learn how to play it until i was about sixteen."

"Oh, man...th'minute that guitar was in my hands, I _knew,_ y'know? Knew that's what I was gonna do. Haven't stopped since." Neal scuffed lightly at the sand with his toes. "...Think _he_...Chuck...wanted me t'be a doctor, or a lawyer, or some shit... 'Make something out of your life'..." He mimicked the memory inside of his head damn near perfectly even now, after all this time, God... "But all I wanted t'do was make music and write songs. Fuckin' waste of my life, he called it." Neal shrugged slightly, chewing the inside of his lower lip.

Brooke squeezed Neal's hand and brought her other hand over to hold his softly. "There are a lot of people out there that have that view. Some people are lucky they have their parents and families behind them...some people have to make their own families...I've been blessed, and have both," she said softly.

The corner of his mouth twitched up slightly. "...Yeah," he replied softly. "...Kind of got adopted as an honorary Skib there for a while..." His voice softened and grew just a bit distant as he stared down at the sand. "...Never got th'chance t'make it official, though."

Brooke nodded. "Yeah, I know how that is. Dave's family had always been so welcoming...so supportive of all the things that I was doing... Idol, being a nanny, it was amazing..." She paused. "His dad is the only one that will talk to me now. Everyone else blames me for him leaving the way he did."

Neal frowned slightly. "What _did_ happen?" he asked, and then mentally facepalmed for what had to be the twentieth time that night. "Or, y'know, I could not ask such personal questions and keep my mouth shut," he muttered, clenching his jaw nervously.

Brooke shook her head and looked up at Neal. "It's okay...I don't mind talking about it. Not many people wanted to hear my side of the story, so to speak." She took a breath and looked out at the pounding waves. "He blamed me for being away from him all the time...that I didn't care about him... He wanted me to stop with my music career and 'settle down'." She shook her head and looked down at her toes buried in the sand. "I told him that I wouldn't just quit music, and that I wasn't ready to be a mom yet...and he accused me of cheating on him, of using him; he said he would make sure that my reputation was ruined. I think I heard probably every insult known to man come out of his mouth... I tried to get him to go to marriage counseling, but he refused - and then one day, when I came home from a show...he and all his stuff was gone."

Neal listened to her story with increasing outrage and dismay. "Fuckin' sonuvabitch," he muttered darkly, his eyes glinting with anger. "Did people actually _believe_ that horseshit?"

Brooke continued to look out at the water. "Our mutual friends. I have no idea how long he had been 'telling' them things...none of them talk to me anymore, and go out of their way to avoid me. None of my immediate family believed it, but some of my extended family...they blame me for my marriage ending in divorce; saying that I needed to be a wife, and not out there entertaining other people."

Neal frowned deeper. "...But...you're a _performer._ That's what you _do._ They can't just tell you t'quit your fuckin' job like that..."

Brooke shrugged. "They didn't consider that a job. That was my way of getting out of being a wife and a mother."

"Oh, good God..." Neal muttered in exasperation. This is exactly why he wasn't associated with 'conventional' religion anymore -- un-fuckin'-realistic expectations. "They can't _force you_ t'be a mother if y'don't want t'be. And you can travel the country and sing for other people and bring them joy and _still_ be a good wife. I don't fuckin' get it."

Brooke sighed and squeezed Neal's hand. "I didn't either, which is why I wouldn't fold. And...he left."

"See, what y'need t'do is find yourself a musician," Neal replied, nodding his head firmly. "They know what's involved in this career, they know what t'expect, and how t'deal with crazy fans an'shit..."

Brooke smiled and nodded her head with a sigh. "Yeah, that would be the best of both worlds, wouldn't it? Although, I can honestly say I really haven't had too many run-ins with crazy fans...thankfully."

"God, you are sooooo lucky, let me tell you," Neal murmured, shaking his head.

Brooke grinned. "Yeah, I guess I am. I've heard all about some of your more...adamant fans."

"God, they're psychotic, some of 'em..." Neal replied with a snort. "You heard about that Celine girl, good Lord..."

Brooke snorted and then covered her mouth with a laugh. "Oh yeah, I heard all about that..."

"...Yeah, that," Neal shrugged slightly. "Hazard of the job, I guess...but...really don't want t'talk about her." He shrugged slightly, scuffing at the damp sand again, worming his toes deeply into the warmth just below the surface.

Brooke nodded and sat down in the sand, gently pulling Neal down with her. "This is the best part...just sitting and not worrying about anything. Just feeling the sand under your toes, and hearing the crash of the waves." She leaned back, propping herself up on her arms. She tipped her head back and looked up at the stars, her hair brushing the sand behind her. "Love being here at night..." she said softly.

Neal settled to the sand beside her, tilting his head back to study the sky with her at first...but somehow his gaze wound up being tugged back to earth by her. He tilted his head, studying how the waning moonlight turned her skin a nearly translucent porcelain, lent her hair a shimmering, silvery halo...

Brooke let out a soft sigh and closed her eyes, just taking in everything in the night air. The warm breeze, the mist coming off the ocean, the sounds of the crashing waves below. She was more relaxed than she had been in months.

Neal pulled his knees up and crossed his arms on top of them, using them to pillow his head as he continued to study her quietly. This was not what he had expected from tonight, certainly... Dinner at the wings place, maybe dessert... But this...comfortableness? Was that a word? This security...with her... He didn't know where it was coming from, but...it felt almost...right.

Brooke tipped her head to the side and caught Neal's gaze. She was glad for the low moonlight, because she knew otherwise he would see how hard she was blushing. "Hi," she said quietly, a soft smile gracing her face.

Neal smiled faintly, murmuring a soft "...Hey." He'd been caught, red-handed--er, red-faced, more like -- but he really didn't care. His lips parted slightly for a soft sigh as he studied her face.

Brooke pulled her knees up and let the side of her head rest on arm braced over them. She smiled, and with her free hand reached over and brushed Neal's hair out of his eyes, her fingertips brushing down his cheek before she brought her hand back, pillowing it under the side of her head. She wiggled her toes in the sand with a soft sigh of contentment.

Neal's eyes slipped closed at her delicate touch, then slowly blinked open as her hand fell away. Smiling a little deeper, he scooted his foot closer to hers, brushing lightly over the top of her foot before burrowing his toes into the sand next to hers.

Brooke smiled as the butterflies in her stomach fluttered when she felt Neal's foot next to hers. "The one thing that I miss the most, living in LA...is seeing the stars at night," she whispered softly, looking back up at the sky.

Neal made a low soft sound of agreement, his eyes drawn to the curve of her throat as her head fell back again. He swallowed hard, shifting very slightly.

Brooke stretched her legs out and pushed her feet back into the sand, loving the feel of the warmth radiating from it. "I used to think that when I got my own house, I wouldn't have grass - just sand." She shook her head, grinning, and turned to look at Neal. "But then I realized that it would just turn into a giant neighborhood litter box..."

Neal snorted very softly, smiling back. "Sadly, yeah..." He just couldn't look away from her at all, it seemed...such a beautiful smile...

Brooke watched Neal and smiled. "It's been a long time since I've had the chance to come to the beach at night... So much more peaceful..."

Neal nodded, feeling his cheeks heating back up again, oh God... "Yeah, it really is...quiet...peaceful...secluded..."

Jesus fuck, he hoped she couldn't see just how red his face flushed just then...

Brooke glanced up the beach and nodded not seeing anyone. "That it is... All the better, because I don't want to share my birthday with them."

Another soft sound left Neal's throat. "Y'want t'share it with friends," he agreed, nodding slightly.

Smiling softly, Brooke nodded and reached out to brush off a bit of sand from Neal's neck. "Exactly..." she said quietly as her fingertips lingered on his skin, before she let her hand drop back down to her knee.

Neal shivered almost delicately as her fingers brushed along his throat, closing his eyes with a soft, low groan. "...God..." he breathed out softly, blinking his eyes back open to find her face.

Brooke bit her lip and held her breath as Neal's eyes opened. "Oh... m'sorry...you had a bit of sand...on your neck." She flushed, not wanting to admit how much that simple utterance had affected her.

Neal swallowed hard, nodding slightly, and reached out to trail his fingers lightly over her cheek. He lifted his eyes, gone dark and nearly all pupil, to meet hers, murmuring hoarsely, "...Sand right there, on y'r cheek..."

Brooke's eyes fluttered shut as she leaned into Neal's hand. She let out a soft breath and opened her eyes and looked at Neal. "Did you get it?"

Neal lifted his head off his knees and shifted nearer, ducking his head closer to her face. "...Nope...wait..." he whispered, caressing her cheek gently as he closed the distance between them. "...Just a little..." he breathed out softly, and brushed his lips lightly over hers, backing away slowly. "...There."

Brooke sucked in a slow breath, her heart racing as her blood pounded in her ears. She opened her eyes slowly and looked at Neal. "I think you missed it..." she whispered softly, her eyes wide.

"...Yeah?" he whispered back, slipping his fingertips down the edge of her jaw to cup her chin gently. "...Let me see here..." he murmured, leaning in to kiss her again, letting his lips linger against hers a few moments longer before parting, leaning back only slightly as he studied her eyes. "...Did I get it that time?"

Brooke's soft smile crept onto her face, her eyes bright. "Yeah...for now," she whispered teasingly. Her heart was still racing and her lips tingling as she nodded softly.

Neal smiled faintly with a soft snort of laughter. "For now, hmm..." he murmured lowly, running the backs of his fingers slowly along her jawline. "...Y'just never know when a little breeze is gonna come along, pick up some sand..."

Brooke smiled and laughed softly. "Well...it is pretty windy out..." she said, raising her eyebrows at the absolutely still night air.

Neal's smile deepened at her words. "...Hmmm...positively gale-force winds, an'everything..." he agreed. "Oh, look...there's one now..." Pursing his lips, he blew a soft breath across her cheek. "...Oh, no..." he breathed, leaning closer. "...There it is again..."

This time, his mouth met hers with purpose, moving lightly and questioningly against her lips.

Brooke responded softly at first, and then slowly deepened the kiss, her hand sliding around the side of his neck, her fingers tangling in his hair.

Neal sighed softly into the kiss, muffling a low moan against her lips as her hand slid behind his neck and into his hair. He shifted even closer to her, nearly intertwining their legs together in the process.

Brooke could feel the sand beneath her feet and Neal leaning close to her, his mouth moving over hers perfectly. She moaned softly, not wanting it to end. She shifted and leaned back, pulling Neal with her, until her head hit the ground softly.

Neal let Brooke pull him down, settling to the sand half beside her, half on top of her, their legs still intertwined. He shifted into her, pressing her down slowly into the sand, running his tongue lightly along her lips, asking wordlessly for them to part.

Brooke opened her eyes and looked at Neal as she gently bit his bottom lip, running the tip of her tongue over it softly in apology before she leaned in and kissed him deeply, parting her lips and letting her tongue dart out and brush over his bottom lip.

He groaned softly, flicking his tongue over hers before slipping it into her mouth, chasing the faint taste of mocha and cream, his fingers threading into her hair.

Brooke could feel her heart beating in every inch of her body. She moaned again, louder this time, as the intensity started to pick up. She pulled back slightly, burying her face in his neck. "Oh wow..." she said softly. She held tight to him, not wanting to lose that connection that she was feeling at that moment.

"...Yeah..." he whispered past her ear, breathing a little harder. He pulled back slowly, looking down into her face, studying her eyes intently as he brushed the hair back off of her face. "...Wow."

Brooke leaned into Neal's hand and smiled softly, turning her head towards his hand and kissing it softly. "This has been an amazing night...I don't want it to end," she whispered softly.

Neal swallowed softly, nodding agreement. "...Me neither..." he whispered back. His mind was reeling in stunned surprise, trying to figure out exactly how all of this had happened and where it might be going.

Brooke reached up and placed her hand on the side of Neal's face, feeling the warmth seeping into her skin. "Is this okay?" she asked softly, not really sure herself what exactly 'this' was.

'Is this okay...' God, he didn't understand her question...what "this" was she referring to? Touching his cheek? Kissing each other? Something else entirely?

...Something _more?_

His breath caught slightly in his throat at the dawning realization - whatever "this" was, it was more than okay with him.

Brooke bit her lip as she watched Neal's face intently. She had never thought that she would ever be in this position again...but whatever it was that was building between them...she wanted to see where it would lead. She had seen so many sides to him already, and she wanted to see more - the good and the bad.

She swallowed hard, her hand still cupping his cheek. Brooke leaned up and kissed one corner of his mouth and then the other before she gently pressed her lips to his, closing her eyes as she let everything around her melt away.

Oh, God... Neal groaned softly into her mouth, deepening the kiss even further. The sounds of the ocean behind them melted away into the background, and all he could hear was his blood thrumming in his ears. The surf-cooled air didn't affect him at all - there was only her warmth beneath him...it was different. It felt good. It felt _right._

Brooke stretched her legs out in the sand more, intertwining them with Neal's again, her foot brushing the top of his. As he deepened the kiss, she slowly laid back down, never losing contact with him. She slowly parted her lips, her tongue swiping lazily at his bottom lip.

Neal's tongue darted out to meet Brooke's, twining them lightly together before slipping his past her lips once more. His grip on her hair tightened as he shifted on top of her, covering her body with his own, and oh, God...that...that was perfect. Absolutely _perfect._

Brooke was floating as she moaned into Neal's mouth, her heart racing, the blood roaring in her ears, drowning out the sounds of the crashing waves below them. 

Her breath caught in her throat as Neal shifted until he was resting on her, their bodies molding together just right. 

She moved slightly under him and shivered as she whimpered softly into his mouth, kissing him harder. She knew that she needed to slow down, that they were going rather fast...but she didn't want it to stop.

Oh, holy fuck... Neal's hips rolled against Brooke's as she shifted beneath him. And God, women whimpering like that shouldn't _be_ so fucking hot. It just _shouldn't_... He responded eagerly as she kissed him harder, struggling to get enough air into his lungs to keep going, to not stop, to go on forever...

Brooke bit back a loud moan at the feel of Neal moving against her, her back arching, pushing her into Neal's mouth more. She groaned and let her hands slip down to rest on his lower back, her fingertips grazing the bare skin above the waistband of his jeans.

Neal's breath stuttered sharply as she arched against him. Oh, her fingers...her mouth...God, _her_... He abandoned all attempts at rational thought and went with pure instinct. Breaking their kiss, he buried his face against her neck, kissing and nipping along the curve of her throat, grinding his hips slowly against hers.

Brooke gasped and dug her heels into the sand, arching up against Neal, her breaths coming in short gasps as he kissed down her throat. The feel of him moving against her was setting all of her nerves on fire. The hot coil of desire and need pooled in her stomach, mixing with the butterflies of anticipation. She moaned breathlessly as her hands slipped under Neal's shirt, wanting to feel him.

Neal slid slowly down her body, kissing his way softly down to the scoop neckline of her shirt. He traced the edge of her shirt with the tip of his tongue, slipping a hand from her hair to trail his fingertips down the same path he'd taken with his mouth. This. God, this...

Brooke's eyes fluttered open as she slipped her hands down to cup Neal's face, and urged him back up. She kissed his jawline until she could press a soft kiss to his mouth. "It's getting late," she whispered, her voice husky and her eyes darkened with desire.

Neal drew a shuddering breath, staring down into her eyes, his face a reflection of her own. "Yeah, it is..." he murmured back, lifting a shaky hand to her face to run gently through her hair. "...Should pro'ly get you back home...save Einstein from th'Irish woman..." He tamped down the tiny spark of disappointment flaring in his chest, filing it away for later analysis.

With a faint groan, he rolled away from her and back onto the sand, its faint warmth downright chilly against his skin. Pushing to his feet, he held out a hand to help her up.

Brooke bit her lip and grabbed a hold of Neal's hands to let him pull her up. She brushed the sand off of her back and shook her hair out before she stepped toward Neal and leaned up, kissing him softly, hoping that he understood that this was far from being over. "She's probably standing by the door waiting."

Neal blinked at Brooke a moment, the heat of her lips still radiating through him.

...Oh.

He smiled slowly, threading their fingers together, and walked her back to the car. "I'm sure she is," he agreed with a chuckle, "And I'm sure she's gonna give you the once-over once you're back in her clutches."

Brooke laughed softly and let her head rest on his shoulder as they walked back up the beach. "Oh, I have no doubt about it. Are you coming tomorrow for cake at Carly's?"

Neal nodded. "Yup. She promised there would be whiskey involved. That, with th'cake, would've been incentive enough, but now..." He let his voice trail off softly, squeezing her hand gently, hoping she would catch his meaning.

Brooke let out a small breath and relaxed. She smiled up at Neal, her thumb brushing the back of his knuckles as she squeezed his hand softly. "But now, you get to see Einstein," she teased as she smiled softly, acknowledging what he was saying without saying it.

Neal snorted out a soft laugh. "Yep, that I do. Hope he'll be happy t'see me again."

Brooke laughed. "Oh, you know that he will. I think that he misses you. He keeps going to the door and just sits there if he hears me say your name." She blushed as she admitted that she had been talking about him. "So, did Sixx give you a hard time, coming home smelling like a new little puppy?"

Neal gave her a warm smile as they reached the car, opening the door for her to get in. "...He definitely checked me out pretty good, tell you what," he replied, shaking his head with the memory.

Not only had Sixx "checked him out," he'd basically knocked Neal over and sat on him to sniff his shirt deeply, memorizing the new scent on his alpha male's clothing with slow wags of his tail before licking Neal's face wetly.

Brooke laughed. "I can imagine. I can't wait to see how Einstein reacts to him..." she said, thinking about how maybe one day, when neither Joey and Dan were there, she could bring Einstein over...or maybe Neal would bring Sixx over to her house? She buckled her seatbelt and let out a soft sigh, incredibly happy with all that had happened. In the back of her mind was a little thought of what could have happened if Carly wasn't at the house. She bit her lip and pushed the thought away. No use dwelling on things she had no control over...and she wasn't sure if Neal even felt the same way. It had certainly seemed like it, though, when they were in the sand...

Brooke shook her head, pushing everything out of her head, as she turned and looked at Neal. "Thank you for tonight. I have no words to even describe how amazing it's been," she said softly, reaching over to run her fingertips down the length of Neal's jaw.

Neal's heart clenched slightly in his chest at her touch. God, if only... He laid his hand lightly over Brooke's against his jaw, caressing it softly. "...My pleasure," he murmured quietly, bringing her hand over to his lips and kissing the back of her hand gently. "...Hope we can do it again soon."

Brooke's heart fluttered. "Me too...real soon," she whispered.

"...Good." Neal leaned in and kissed her temple softly before closing the door and moving to the driver's side again. He cranked the engine, and stared out one final time at the beach with a distant smile before backing out and hitting the road again.

Brooke watched as the beach faded into the distance and let out a sigh of disappointment. She reached her hand over and threaded it through Neal's, not wanting to stop and lose what they had developed from the length of the evening together. She reached up and turned on the radio, hitting the first button for the saved stations, knowing that the first one was always what the owner of the car listened to. She smiled at Neal and leaned back in the seat, listening to the fast beat of the music coming out of the speakers.

Neal smiled softly, squeezing Brooke's hand gently as they rolled on into the night, bobbing his head slightly to the beat and humming under his breath. He sighed deeply as they pulled into her drive, Carly's face at the window at the sound of his car already boding well for a post-dinner interrogation for the woman beside him. "Looks like she's ready t'pounce.." he murmured, shifting in his seat to face her.

Brooke laughed and turned to face Neal, her smile softening. "She can wait a few more minutes." She bit her lip and then leaned in, kissing Neal gently, letting her lips linger just a hair's breath away from his as she opened her eyes and watched him.

Neal smiled softly, breathing in her breaths. God, he wished he could wave his hand and make Carly disappear...

Brooke leaned in, kissing him once more softly, and then smiled against his lips, whispering, "I'll spare you the walk to the door since we are being watched...but next time I'll expect the walk to the door."

Neal grinned back with a nod. "...You've got it."

She leaned in, kissing him harder this time, and then pulled back and opened the door to slip out. "I'll see you tomorrow," she said with a smile, and then shut the door, jogging to her front porch.

Neal exhaled softly, watching her retreat. He raised a hand to wave as she opened the door, and shook his head with a rueful smile as he put the car in reverse to back down the drive.

Couldn't. _Wait._ For next time.


End file.
